PLANTS IN GLYCOCOLL SOLUTIONS 
and other substances produced in the course of the growth and repro- 
duction of bog and swamp vegetation. During the decomposition of 
these by weathering and biochemical changes, by bacteria and fungi, 
various other compounds and transition products arise. The definite 
recognition of a number of these constituents from mineral soils has 
led to a fuller understanding of the chemistry of organic soils (16), 
but for many of the peat and humus compounds the names and 
written reactions have little meaning as now understood; the organic 
degradation products are of great complexity and they cannot as yet 
be easily isolated and identified. It is well known, however, that 
during a gradual hydrolysis of proteins, for example, there arise chiefly 
diamino and monoamino acids. Glycocoll, H2C.NH2.COOH, is one 
of the simpler degradation products and has been derived from the 
tissue and the seeds of a number of plants. 
Important problems of agriculture and economic considerations 
are involved in the ability to accomplish the growth of crop-yielding 
plants within a shortened life cycle and at lessened energy requirements 
and expense. Hence the question of the efficiency of a plant in utiliz- 
ing directly nitrogenous compounds other than nitrates and ammonia 
has interested a number of investigators, both from the standpoint of 
the problems of soil fertility and that of plant metabolism and enzyme 
action. Hansteen (11), Molliard (13), Schreiner (15), Hutchison and 
Miller (12), and Borowikow (i) have ascertained the efi^ects of water 
solutions of glycocoll on plants. They report, more or less uniformly, 
that the efifects of glycocoll are beneficial, and that a gain results of 
nitrogenous matter in the plants. Hansteen found that Lemna in 
the absence of light produces proteins, but that the effect on growth 
is slightly harmful. Molliard obtained better results with radishes. 
Schreiner found that glycocoll is beneficial to wheat seedlings in solu- 
tions containing o.i per cent and less of the solute. Hutchison and 
Miller working with peas report inconclusive results; the nitrogen 
content of one of the pea-cultures was increased, but a slight decrease 
was noticed in another culture. The more recent experiments of 
Borowikow with Helianthus indicate that the solution retards growth. 
It is not known to what extent amino-acids occur in peat soils. 
Although we are unable to extract at present any beneficial nutritive 
materials from them by ordinary chemical means, it is quite likely 
that many of the bacteria and fungi are able to do so by excreting 
enzymes with dissolving capacities. The question possesses additional 
